


Prince James Barnes is gay

by StuckyandStarWars



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Bad Parenting, Coming Out, Daddy Issues, Gay, M/M, One Shot, Past Abuse, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-06
Updated: 2018-06-06
Packaged: 2019-05-18 22:50:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14861807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StuckyandStarWars/pseuds/StuckyandStarWars
Summary: Ive been watching a show called Kings with Sebastian in it so I wrote this.basically Steve and Bucky are in a relationship and Bucky is becoming the king, Steve is his bodyguard and at Bucky's first speech as king he comes out.





	Prince James Barnes is gay

**Author's Note:**

> Thatnks for reading, shout out to my Group chat y'all know who you are.

Prince James glanced at his phone. Sure, it was kind of a disrespectful thing to do at the king's funeral, but he didn't feel like pretending to cry right now. The countdown app he had installed a year and a half ago, for once, actually said two weeks. If he hadn't been ready to be crowned for the past two years, he was longing for it now. The people around him were sobbing, mourning. The people outside were leaving flowers, balloons, bears, and cards. All of the people in the city were crying as well, it was like one huge wail that just fell in waves. The camera that was moving around the service focused in on James, and he looked over it and up at the stage. He knew he looked unemotional, a skill he had mastered around the press. Maybe he should pretend like his father meant something to him, but he was too elated to care that they would ask questions. He laced his hands together, letting flesh feel the familiar padding of his left prosthetic.

Who wouldn't cry at the death of their only remaing family member? Well if you had known Alexander Pierce Barnes as more than just a king, you wouldn't be crying either. James took a shaky breath and tried to push fake emotion onto his face. When that worked, the camera moved away. He had to keep up the show of loving his father for two weeks more, until the coronation. They called on him. He gave a speech, very much aware of his personal security standing like a toy solider behind him. When he sat down, the rest of the extended family gave speeches. They were very extended, and would only be staying in the palace until about three days after the coronation. The closest family, Alexander's cousin, went first.

"Alexander Pierce was a king, a mentor, and a father" he gestured at James, who swallowed his laughter. "He was also.."

Every speech was basically the same thing over and over in different words. He will be missed. Ending the old era of monarchy, ready to start the new. A lot of nods in James' direction. Then you were welcome to walk up and pay respects to his face. His lifeless body, somehow look in more human than he ever did. As James walked up, Rogers close behind him, he had to bite his tounge as to not spit at the dead man. He felt Rogers tense for a second before they moved on, obviously inside of the Prince's mind.  

They both ate food, and it was quite a while before James could excuse himself to be alone. As soon as him and his bodyguard entered his room and the door was shut behind them, Bucky threw his arms around Steve. Steve hughed him back, lifting him off of the the floor. Bucky let his legs join his arms so he was completely embracing Steve, Who hoisted him up just far enough so they could kiss. 

"Oh my god, Buck. I never thought I'd be this happy to see a man die."

"Guess what I'll do when I'm king!" Bucky sighed, letting go and falling to the bed. 

"What?" Steve smiled, even though he already knew what. They had hatched this plan when they were twelve. "What are you going to do in precisely two weeks?"

"Hmm.. The first thing would be a giant chocolate fountain in the center of town, isn't that right? I'll make the sun set when I want it to and I'll turn the flowers into candy. Friday is movie night. Required. In the palace. I'll listen to everyone, try to fit their needs as best as possible." Bucky pulled the list from the inside of his jacket. It was old, turning yellow and creased. 

"What's the next one?" There were seven sections on the list, one for every year since they had made it. You could tell they matured as the list aged.

"Uh, section three. We were.. Fifteen."

Steve sat next to him. "So the first item on section three is making school easier, right?"

"Yeah, but that's a little far fetched. Lets try to figure out a way to make the school system make more sense."

"And what's the last item on the list?"

"You mean the one we promised to do first?" Bucky looked at him and saw the litrle kid again, sat on this very same bed with a Sharpie and a cleaner list.

"Yeah." 

"Make this acceptable." Bucky kissed him again making it as long as he could. Long kisses were something they could never do while the king was alive. He never bothered knocking on the door so they had to be careful

"You're doing that in your speech, right?"

"Yup. I'm not even writing one. I've been planning jow I was going to come out since we first kissed, babe."

Steve smiled, and Bucky smiled back. He was so ready to plan this coronation.

-

The next two weeks were a mess of planning and preparing, until finnaly it was the night before. Bucky, or now James as he was in the eyes of the public, took his seat at the end of the long table. Steve was sitting in a much less extravagant chair next to him, something Bucky would have to fix when they were officially boyfriends. 

"Welcome, everyone! Here, provided for you, are the most extravagant dishes from all around the world. A few years ago, when I was presented as official crown Prince, I promised that I would be the king to throw the best dinner parties that any of you have ever seen. I plan to hold true to that. There is one guest missing from this table, and I'm very sad to say that I sit in his place for the rest of my rule. I wish my father was here to witness tommrow, but as we all know dwelling on the past at a party brings the mood down, we may mourn other times. I hope you all came hungry."

Steve raised his glass next to me, shouted "for the king to be!" And everyone cheered to that.

"Kings" he wispered under his breath, not even sure if Bucky heard it.

The party lasted late into the night, Bucky making first or second impressions on important people, talking to family members, and for the first time in quite a while, only half of his smiles were fake. Drinking Champange with the best of the best was a thing Bucky loved to do. Bucky thought it might be a good idea to leave the elite and go out into the lower levels of the palace for a while, where the people of the kingdom were enjoying probabaly one of the best meals they have ever had. Flanked by three guards, Steve, Sam, and Natasha, Bucky stepped onto the elevator. Therr was one other man, who he recognized as a huge financial supporter of the kingdom. Tony Stark.

"Ah! Your highness! I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you tonight, but you know I have things to attend to at Stark industries. Tony." He held out his hand, and Bucky took it with a smile.

"It is imce to finally meet you, Mister Stark. Our fathers seemed rather close. Although, I'm sure you were aware of their tight rivalry?"

"Of course. In public they were all over each other as the best of friends, but in private it was just a mutually beneficial deal. Sounds a lot like the way the old man was himself."

"Really? Howard was always so popular and loved."

"Less so at home. Mother loved him, of course- wait, these guys won't talk, right?"

"No. All of the guards are sworn to secrecy with any compromised information they hear, especially in my presence." Bucky always hated the way he had been trained to talk. It was so formal. "Actually, if we're on the topic, my father was quite the same way. He was such a public man. Not a very good father when it boilded down to it."

Stark laughed, and pulled a card out of his pocket. "These are mostly meant for people I pick up, your kinglyness, but call me if you ever want to talk about daddy issues." It was his personal number.

"Thank you, I might do just that. And I'm not king yet!" Bucky smiled his charming grin and the doors opened for him to gwt out. Stark was going to the ground floor.

Bucky handed the paper to Steve. "Put this somewhere safe, please. I'm considering calling it." 

Steve nodded and put it inside his jacket. Bucky started down the lavish stairs, but was almost blinded by camera flashes. Press was banned upstairs, but down here there was almost as many cameras as there were people. Another reason he thought he should pay the lower floors a visit. He started waving, feeling his guards tense into ready position. He felt like coming down here was a mistake. He was going to be stuck here for hours.

-

Yup, a mistake. He woke up at nine with a hangover. Steve was laying out his clothes on the bench at the foor of the bed. He liked saving color decions for the day of, so he could choose between plain black, velvety red, or navy blue. Bucky sat up and almost puked. He was always good at holding it down.

"Blue." He croaked out. Steve glanced up and smiled, pointing to his bedside stand. "Oh man, you're the best." 

Bucky chugged the water, the condesated bottle almost slipping out of his prosthetic twice.

"The crew will be here in an hour, lets get you showered and dressed. And which cufflinks?"

"The gold ones. Gold watch, gold and tan shoes. Remeber, sweetheart, all the accents have to match the gold crown. Tell the hair people I want it dusted with gold, gold highlights on my face to the makeup people, and the white button up with the gold details on the bottom. Thank you."

"So I'm your bodyguard, messenger, and boyfriend? This is a lot of stress." Steve finished writing everything down. Bucky loved him, but he was also getting paid for this stuff.

"We can work it off tonight." Bucky gave him a sly look and Steve rolled his eyes. He continued to make sexual jokes, even though they had never actually had sex. They were both just nineteen, barely of legal age (not as if that stopped people) and they had agreed to wait until Alexander was gone. Half out of respect and half out of fear.

Bucky stood up, lightheaded, and walked across the huge room to the huge bathroom. He threw up in the toilet, and Steve got on the phone while Bucky washed off. When he got out of the shower the most greasy burger he had ever seen sat in the bedroom. He finished towling off and pulled his underwear on, chowing down on it as the maids set out his outfit. Steve stood by the door, taking charge of his main position as guard. Bucky was dressed, leaving off the jacket and shoes for when he was done  and sat down in the chair to get his hair done in just a few minutes. Peter Quill, his hair specialist, danced around as he brushed, trimmed and tied Bucky's hair back. He also trimmed the stubble that was growing, making it sharp. Then he put some almost unoticable gold in his hair, before clearing out for Clint and his team to come in for makeup. When they were done with highlights, eyeliner, and the lightest gold eye shadow Bucky couldn't help thinking how gay he looked.

Steve's friends brother came in for accessories. He was knew. 

"So, your highness, you'll be pleased to hear I have a speciality with gold." 

Loki fixed him up with a gold tie, some gold and blue earrings, and a blue hairpin. Bucky stepped into his shoes and looked at himself in the mirror. When it was juet him and Steve alone again, Steve voiced what Bucky was thinking.

"You have never looked gayer." Bucky looked around to make sure no one was in the room.

"Kiss me for luck, Stevie." And Steve did just that, careful not to mess up his hair or makeup.

"Good luck." He whispered. "I'll be by your side the whole time. No panic attacks."

Bucky takes a breath. "No panic attacks. I promise."

"Good. Now." Steve adjusts his bowtie and Bucky gets a look at how good Steve looks imstead of just himself. "Lets go get you crowned."

And right before Steve opens the door like a good bodyguard, he slaps Buckys ass to seal the deal.

-

He'd recited the ancient scripture, he'd stood and repeated, been blessed by a pope. And now he as taking a knee, facing the crowd of so few, and the cameras that were showing the world. He had reminded himself four times in the past two hours that Steve was right at the other side of the room, and he'd promised no panic attacks. He took a shaky breath as the preist says something in a few different languages. Bucky wasn't even Christian, but tradition was tradition. He held his head high, his arms pinned behind his straight back and his fingers laced. This was it. In just a few excruciatingly long seconds, he would be king. The song from The Lion King came back into his head, a movie he related so much to. Execpt Scar was his father and not his uncle. And, well, Nala was Steve. 

He was zoned out dining "I just cant wait to be king" in his head when he felt the weight of the crown on his head. He sucked in a breath and kept his face blank. As soon as the priest stepped back, the cameras snapped and the people bowed. Bucky didn't move an inch, he didnt even shake. His muscles were locked. He saw Steve bowing, almost on the floor, and felt a chill in his spine

"Rise." The priest said, and the crowd didn't move as Bucky stood.

He kept his right arm arm behind him, the other stiff at his side as he walked down the isle. He couldn't help thinking about if he tripped. He'd be a disgrace. Nerves churned in Bucky's stomach, but he made it to the doors unscathed.

"All rise." He recited the last words he had spent years memorizing when and how to say. He didn't turn around the the rustle of clothes and feet.

Steve stands as well, and is the only one to walk so he is standing behind Bucky. It's a comfort to have him close again. Bucky sweeps his hand and the doors swing open. He walks through the long hallway he knows like any other hall in this house. He doesn't know why he doesn't feel different. He wears the crown now, but he feels like the same person. 

-One one two stop one one two stop one one two stop- 

The walking is slow. One step one step two fast steps and stop. Steve mimicks  him, and Bucky is glad they're in sync. The doors to the large balcony overlooking the city square are already open. When their footsteps change from muffled carpet to clicking marbel, Steve stops at the door and Bucky resumes a normal walking pattern, still keeping it slow. As soon as he reaches the podium, the crowd starts cheering and he feels himself relax. There are two huge screens on the palace walls so everyone on the ground can see him. When it dies down enough he begins talking.

"Hi. So, I'm king now, huh?" He takes a deep breath and imagines Steve holding his hand. "Wow. A lot has happened in the past month, I suppose. From the end of the war to a new king, I haven't had much time to think. But I have had years to think about what I will say at this exact momet and now that it's here, I really don't know how to process it. I guess I'll start off by saying this. Dispite my father trying to enforce phone policy on me and my duties as a prince, I am a young adult. Or maybe still a teenager, but I'm basically an adult. That means I'm connected. I go on the internet, I post and look and scroll and watch videos and connect with people hundreds of miles away. I know what the young people want in their kingdom becuase I am one of the young people. What people want today is equality. Equal pay. Equal rights for the different skinned and the different hearted." There were a few cheers from the crowd. "And as much as I hate to say it, if my father were here today he never would have approved of me saying these things, but it's time things change. I am not some thirty seven year old dictator, swooping in to takw the throne and assuming that everyone has the same opinion as me. Each king before me has had something he has stood for, and I hope mine will be change for the better. On that note, there is- well there's something that I've been waiting to tell the world for just two years now. I will fight for racial and women's equality becuase its what's right. I will fight for equality of those with impairments, becuase I am one." Bucky rasied his left arm above his head. "And I will fight for the rights of the LGBT community becuase, as well, I am one of them. I, King James Buchanan Barnes, am Gay. I have known myself for two years now, happliy in love since the moment I figured it out and probabaly quite a while before then, and hopefully quite a while after. My father never approved, and he wouldnt now. People say he was old fashioned, but I'm ready for that to stop being an excuse for homophobia." Bucky paused. He was starting to sweat with nerves. 

Everything was silent except for the click of cameras, until Bucky saw some kid, younger than he was, stand up on a parked car. It was quiet becuase of th distance, but what the kid shouted was exactly what Bucky needed to hear.

"HELL YEAH! THIS IS THE PERSON WE NEED IN CHARGE!"

Bucky smiled as more people started cheering. He let his announcement sink in before raising his hand.

"I can't thank you enough for supporting me right now. I was terrified that was going to go the other direction, that the kindome would never full accept a gay king, but if I have the support of the people, of you people, changing the world from what it is to what it will be, what it CAN be, is going to be so much easier. U do have few more things to say. Okay. Every king before me has said one thing at this speech that sets them apart from the king before them, so here is mine. You all claim to have loved my father, and I know some of you do. But we also know that he promised things he never even thought about doing. That bill for those schools he never ended up singing? They're waiting inside for me. The things that my father never even started- I swear to you- I will finish. I am not my father. And if someone tells me I am becoming him, I beg you, put a bullet in my brain." 

He felt Steve move behind him. Bucky's death was no joke, as the king and his lover, as well being suicidal in the past. But this wasn't a joke either. Bucky meant it. His father was the devil if there was one, and he would never be as he was.

"Thank you as your king, and thank you as one of you. These things I swear on my crown." 

The last line was to seal the deal. He turned around and stepped down, the cheers roared through the square and around the city. Bucky was king, and he intended to change things.


End file.
